I love making lasagna in all kinds of different ways but I really appreciate the little twist this recipe offers. It’s also so easy to throw together.
It does sort of feel like cheating when making this Ravioli Lasagna. Using store-bought fresh ravioli and making a six-ingredient marinara with spinach filling that’s just stirred together works great for weeknights around here.
Let me also mention it’s delicious. Just take the fresh ravioli right from the package cooking it to perfection with sauce and spinach . It’s so easy.
This recipe can also be converted to meatless by substituting sautéed mushrooms for the pepperoni. And to make it even easier, commercial pasta sauce, alfredo or even pesto may be used in place of the marinara.
Now there are just no excuses to not try this out.
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; sauté one minute more. Add tomatoes, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring often.
Puree in a food processor or blender with basil and season to your liking with salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl combine spinach, mozzarella, cottage cheese, oregano leaves, egg and nutmeg.
Coat six 10-oz. ramekins with nonstick spray. If you don’t have this size ramekin, use a 9″ square baking pan instead. Spread 2 Tablespoons tomato sauce on the bottom of each ramekin. Arrange 5 ravioli on the sauce, overlapping slightly. Top with 2 moreTablespoons of the sauce and 7 slices of pepperoni. Spoon 1/2 cup spinach mixture over the pepperoni, then top with 5 more ravioli.
Finally, spread with an additional 2 Tablespoons sauce.
Coat one side of six small sheets of foil with cooking spray. Tightly wrap each ramekin in foil, coated side down. Place them on a baking sheet lined with foil, and bake for 30 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Let stand, wrapped, 15 minutes to cool slightly and set up. Remove foil.
Unmold ramekins by running a pairing knife around each, then inverting onto serving plates. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.
I just had to bring my camera to the dinner table. What else is new.
Ravioli Lasagna
Adapted from Cuisine at Home
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
6 cups (2 lb.) Roma tomatoes, seeded, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup cottage cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 egg
Pinch of nutmeg
1 package (20 oz.) fresh four cheese ravioli
1 package (3.5 oz.) sliced pepperoni
6 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, shredded
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; sauté one minute more. Add tomatoes, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring often.
Puree in a food processor or blender with basil and season to your liking with salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl combine spinach, mozzarella, cottage cheese, oregano leaves, egg and nutmeg.
Coat six 10-oz. ramekins with nonstick spray. If you don’t have this size ramekin, use a 9″ square baking pan instead. Spread 2 Tablespoons tomato sauce on the bottom of each ramekin. Arrange 5 ravioli on the sauce, overlapping slightly. Top with 2 moreTablespoons of the sauce and 7 slices of pepperoni. Spoon 1/2 cup spinach mixture over the pepperoni, then top with 5 more ravioli. Finally, spread with an additional 2 Tablespoons sauce.
Coat one side of six small sheets of foil with cooking spray. Tightly wrap each ramekin in foil, coated side down. Place them on a baking sheet lined with foil, and bake for 30 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Let stand, wrapped, 15 minutes to cool slightly and set up. Remove foil.
Unmold ramekins by running a pairing knife around each, then inverting onto serving plates. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.
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